Need advice for workbench build error

[Raymond Clark]

Hey guys,

This is my first post, but I love these forums for how helpful and friendly they are. I am currently building a Chris Schwarz "Holtzapffel" style workbench, and I've run into a problem I'm hoping somebody will have a suggestion that might solve it. On this style workbench, which has 3 1/2" thick top and 5"x 4" legs, the legs are supposed to be flush with the front face of the benchtop. I drawbore assembled the base and used it to lay out where the mortises for the leg tenons would be cut into the underside of the top. My hand-chopped mortises came out really nice, so a friend and I dropped the base onto the top (upside down) to dry fit AND...the front face of the legs extend beyond the front face of the top by 1/16"!

So, now I have a dilemma. I can widen the mortises to shift the base 1/16", but that makes for pretty loose mortises. Or, I can use my big jointer plane to shave 1/16" off of the front legs and the runner (ugh).

Is there any other way to fix this?

Raymond
San Marcos, CA

[Paul F Franklin]

We've all been there! Can you trim one face of the tenons, and glue on a couple pieces of veneer on the opposite tenon face to take up the slop?

Paul F.
Richfield OH.

[Raymond Clark]

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that. Might just work. Would face veneer (which is pretty thin) be sufficient you think, or should I (as you suggest) shave off more of the tenon face and add a thicker veneer?

[Roy Harding]

I like Paul's solution.

Another suggestion, along the same lines, is to simply trim the tenon as Paul suggests, and then use a wedge to take out the slop in the joint. The glue strength of a mortise/tenon joint resides in the glue on the FACES of the tenon/mortise - so you wouldn't be sacrificing any strength, and it might prove easier to do.

Just a thought.

[Raymond Clark]

I've been looking more at the veneer option, and it seems the most workable. The wedge idea would be great except that I have no access to the joint once the top is dropped on the base - these aren't through-tenons. Looks like I have some work ahead of me.

[John Coloccia]

Why not just stick a 1/16" piece of "trim" on the front? If you use contrasting wood, all the better.

[Paul F Franklin]

If all you need is 1/16, then one piece of pretty much any veneer will be pretty close. Most is 1/28 some even thinner. I don't think species matters a bit in this case; with big tenons like those you're not going to crush it. You could put two pieces on (think of it as making a little piece of 2 ply plywood) and then sand for a good fit, but given they are hidden, I'd probably put one piece on and call it good.

Playing off Roy's suggestion for a wedge, you could kerf the tenons and use a blind wedge that is seated by the top, but to me that would be a scary job to get it all right on all four tenons. The veneer solution can be dry fitted until all is just as you want it.


Good luck and post a photo of your bench when it's done...

[Raymond Clark]

Well, I cut the tenons down with my shoulder plane, dry fitted some thin veneer, and assembled it all - worked like a charm! Thanks for the suggestions guys - I'll make sure to post the finished product. It's going to take me a while to install the front and end vises. I've learned so much during this build, and it's been a ton of fun.

[Matt Day]

I just put the benchtop on my holzappfel today too. Sounds like you got it figured out, but I'm just going to attach the top with a lag bolt on each end. The top is heavy enough IMO.
I've done the veneer trick too and it works great.
Glad you got it worked out for you.

[Knight Hidalgo]

A workbench is considered as an obligatory to have when it comes to woodworking, but lot of us have some problems to come up with a great workbench.
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Woodworking | Workbench (http://wood-working-hub.blogspot.com/2011/07/wood-work-bench-old-but-effective.html)

[Jim Matthews]

A stout dowel, set 2/3 the thickness of the top, into both the stretcher and the top should be enough if the bored holes align.

A little double sided foam tape along the stretchers would even out any tendency to rock.

Taper the dowel where it faces up to make assembly easier.